1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to support springs which are extended in a seat frame of vehicle seat for resiliently supporting a formed padding and a body of passenger. In particular, the invention is directed to an arrangement for anchoring or securing such support springs in the vehicle seat frame.
2. Description of Prior Art
Normally, in many of vehicle seats, a plurality of sinuous support springs are securely extended in the seat frame and a foamed cushion member is placed on those springs for the purpose of providing an improved cushiony comfortable support to a seat occupant or a passenger.
Typical, in most cases, the support springs of this kind are each engaged, at its end, with a corresponding one of a plurality of securing clamps welded to the seat frame. But, since both springs and clamps are formed from a hard metallic material, an unpleasant noise is inevitably generated from a keen contact among the springs and clamps.
Hitherto, many attempts have been made to solve such noise problem. For example, a suitable material for noise reduction is attached to each of the ends of springs during assembly of a seat frame, in order to eliminate a keen contact and resulting noise between each end of support spring and each clamp. However, attaching such noise reduction material to each end of spring is quite troublesome and time-consuming. In view of this shortcoming, the Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 6-44455 discloses a plurality of generally U-shaped anchor members which are each formed from a synthetic resin material effective for noise reduction, and further discloses a seat frame having a plurality of securing holes formed therein. According thereto, each end of support spring is anchored in each of such generally U-shaped anchor members, thereby not only preventing generation of noise therefrom, but also making it easy to extend the support springs in the seat frame.
But, such anchor member itself disclosed in the Japanese Pub. No. 6-44455 is insufficient in rigidity due to the nature of synthetic resin material and may be susceptible to deformation and breakage.
In view of the above drawbacks, it is therefore a primary purpose of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement for securing a support spring to a vehicle seat frame, which has a predetermined rigidity and noise reduction effect.
In order to achieve such purpose, in accordance with the present invention, an arrangement for securing a support spring to a vehicle set frame is basically comprised of:
hole means defined in the vehicle seat frame; and
anchor means formed from a metallic plate spring, which includes: a generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped body portion with which the support spring means is to be engaged; and a pair of flange portions extending outwardly from the generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d body portion in a direction opposite to each other;
wherein the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped body portion and the pair of flange portions are formed integrally together from a plate spring and coated with a synthetic resin material;
wherein the anchor means is secured in said hole means such that the generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped body portion thereof is frictionally fitted in the hole means, while the pair of flange portions thereof are contacted with the vehicle seat frame, and wherein the support spring means is engaged with the generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped body portion of the anchor means and thereby secured in the vehicle seat frame.
Accordingly, the anchor means, by the reason that it is formed from a metallic plate spring and coated with the synthetic resin material, is not only rigid against deformation, but also prevents a noise from being generated due to a contact between the anchor means and the hole means.
It is a second purpose of the present invention to allow a spring means to be engaged with another portion of the anchor means, in addition to the generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped portion of the anchor means.
For that purpose, a through-hole may be formed in the generally xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped body of the anchor means, thereby allowing the anchor means to be engaged in such through-hole. Thus, two different modes of spring means may be engaged with the anchor means.
Other various features and advantages will become apparent from the descriptions hereinafter, with reference to the annexed drawings.